"A small but exquisite exhibition...a chance to see some of the MFA’s Millets that are only rarely displayed, primarily his fragile drawings, pastels, watercolors, and prints, but also a handful of superb paintings."—The Boston Globe

Jean-François Millet (1814–1875) is one of the great French artists of the 19th century. His images of rural life are among the most recognized and beloved in the history of art, and his innovative treatment of light and color anticipates Impressionism. This exhibition features a choice selection of some 46 drawings, pastels, prints, and paintings from the MFA's Millet collection, which is among the finest in the world. It includes the scenes of peasants in the fields and in humble domestic settings for which Millet is known, and it emphasizes his versatility in this genre, which he developed in a variety of techniques and media. Also highlighted in the exhibition are Millet’s lesser-known portraits, as well as still lifes and nature studies, which demonstrate his remarkable sensitivity to the beauty of simple things, along with original landscapes that look back to Rembrandt and forward to van Gogh, Pissarro, and Seurat.